Page 32 - PCCI 2019 4TH QUARTER EDITION

The beginner

Doing everything wrong, thinking wrong, buying wrong and
feeding wrong. Never realizing there is a blueprint or rules of
the game that they must follow.

The learner The novice

This group has realized that they have They have managed to right themselves and
started badly and while keeping their initial bought a half-decent bitch, have bred their first
mistake, have now spent time reading the litter or two, is starting to do a bit of winning and
standard, learning and doing their best to set is starting to be recognized by other
out on the right path. breeders and exhibitors.

The everlasting novice The middleton

Probably the happiest group of breeder/exhibitor. They are This is by far the largest group of all. This is the average breeder
always nice people, with equally nice dogs and are well-liked by who is recognized as reliable, breeding decent litters, rearing
all. They often dabble in different breeds. They have no ambition, puppies correctly, with a reasonable eye for a dog, having studied
practically never breed a litter, and if they do, use the nearest, and interpreted the breed standard to what they think is correct,
handiest stud. They only ever normally go to local shows, know and has facilities to keep a stud dog and a couple of brood bitches.
and are known by everyone because they have been around They go to most shows and do a reasonable amount of winning.
forever, occasionally picking up a win, but are just perfectly They are involved in various breed clubs and support all activities,
happy to be involved in the dog world for a pleasant dead keen exhibitors, they try their best to be an asset and a credit
day out with friends. to their chosen breed/s.

The good breeder The top breeder

This is a rarer group because this group has realized something the average We all know them and there is normally only a handful of them or less
Middleton does not. They have defined what a “Good dog” is. And that a in each breed. They seem to go on forever, always producing a good
decent dog is not quite good enough. Once the Middleton realizes this, one, always having a good one coming on and always with quality dogs
they graduate into this group, breeding a better standard of dog and will in their kennels. Their dogs usually have failings rather than faults.
never be satisfied with a mediocre though typical and pleasing dog. They also give nothing away in breed type, style or make and shape.
They realize that Middleton is not for them and will probably cut their They always have a good dog in the open class, another in the lower
losses and generally raise their standard of dog. The good breeder classes coming up and a very promising puppy coming through
is always keen to learn and has taken the time and trouble to find the ranks. They have usually been at the top of their chosen
out most of the more advanced points such as what constitutes breed for many years and have a distinguishable style all their
a good shoulder placement, correct croup angulation and own which is distinct, easily recognizable and individual. They
where other virtues may be found. They breed some very nice have internationally known ‘names’ in their breed and have
stock and have learned how to use that stock to advantage. successfully exported and gained many champions overseas,
They have learned that the title of a champion does not as well as in their own country and assisted many
automatically mean that the dog carrying that title breeding programs internationally. They never seem to
is necessarily the best. The good breeder is always disappear and very few breeders join their ranks.
trying to improve and will sell a decent dog or
bitch overseas that the Middleton would have kept as the good breeder realizes that they either
have a better one in their kennel or that the good one is not quite good enough. The good
breeder has nearly always been in their chosen breed for about ten years or more
and can discuss other breeders’ preferences in the breed and pedigrees
of most kennels. Finally, we come to the most
difficult group to define.